The ESG is running a petition for a reliable and clean public transport system to be introduced in Gibraltar without further delay. The petition was launched on World Earth Day and circulated at the Spring Day Festival event at the botanical gardens where the ESG also took part. This petition will be handed in to the Minister for Transport, Mr Joe Holliday when they meet next week.

To date, the response from the public has been overwhelmingly in favour of the ESG proposition. As well as consensus on our pollution problems on our roads, the majority believe it will enhance our “tourist product” image; reduce congestion, enable the car-less to move around Gibraltar in comfort, and allow more walking and cycling to replace much of the current private car-use. We hope that in the time available, we shall be able to collect many more signatures to help emphasis our case at next weeks’ meeting.

Quite apart from the ESG main concerns of pollution and its effects on children, which is now well understood in respect of asthma and other respiratory complaints, an article in the Independent on Sunday has confirmed the need to see action taken by Govt. to address this serious problem on our roads today.

The report published this week in the European Heart Journal suggests that new evidence has emerged linking small daily increases in air pollution as a potential trigger of heart attacks in those with vulnerable arteries, making the case for urgent implementation of a new public transport system using clean technology.

We want to see an end to the careless enforcement of air emission control with regards to our local buses and many 2 stroke mopeds as well as incoming vehicles from outside Gibraltar.